Citizens are back to discussing illegal immigration, as if it were
something that exists solely because Mexicans cross the border to lounge
around on welfare in the United States. The reality is illegal
immigrants make the dangerous crossing to this country to work. They
work because there are jobs for them - jobs that employers are not
giving citizens who are born here because they don't want to pay an
honest wage.

Again and again the illegals doing the work are being blamed
instead of the employers who are hiring them and keeping Americans
unemployed. If you want to do something about illegal immigration,
change the status of employers who hire them.

When they're caught employing illegals, paying substandard
wages, cheating on taxes and keeping Americans from jobs, send them
across the Rio Grande and let them walk home. If employers hired
American citizens at a living wage, there would be significantly fewer
people crossing the border for work.

Danette Lamson

Eugene

Both parties deserve kicks

New York Times columnist David Brooks hit the nail on the head when
he recently explained why the voting public is rejecting the liberal
agenda of President Obama and big-time spending. "Americans now see
debt as the primary threat to their well being. ... Liberals may see
themselves as the champions of the little guy, but in the age of
austerity, many voters see them as protectors of the special interests,
as the guardians of the unaffordable promises."

However, Brooks did not mention the other reason why voters are
rejecting the Democrats; this party does not listen to the voters any
better than the Republicans did. The Republicans refuse to get us out of
war, and they support big oil and are cold-hearted, billionaire elite
dictators; the Democrats are just the same! And, even worse, they
pretend to be good guys and supporters of the working man. That
hypocritical attitude is worse than the Republicans, who at least
don't pretend to love workers. The Democrats do make that claim.
The elitist, super-educated, superior-to-thou attitude of the liberal
Democrats, who regard the voters as much stupider than them, has turned
the public against them.

The voters have decided that the Democrats are just as bad, or
worse. Neither party is listening to the voters. Why should the voters
not kick them both hard in the shins till one of them listens?
There's no limit to how hard those kicks could get.

Dorothy Bucher

Eugene

Bad flag over new bridge

Many of us cringe when we drive under the new 1,500-foot bicycle
bridge over the abandoned quarry and Delta Highway. Why? It's very
simple. Two hundred acres of butchered and abandoned mining land in the
center of Eugene has lain at waste since the early 1960s.

In fact, it was partly because of this eyesore that new legislation
was put into effect nationally to fill in these holes.

My biggest problem is that "beautiful bike bridge." I, as
a taxpayer, borrowed $2.5 million from China in order to develop a
shovel ready TARP program for Eugene. Our civic leaders were all gaga
over all the jobs this would create for the area. All those family wage
jobs! This is their showcase!

Now the result is that we will never pay off China and the interest
we owe them.

Moreover, one of our wonderful "union" workers has had
the audacity to put up Old Glory at the peak. They wanted to show their
patriotic pride. Have you seen what it looks like? The project manager
should be ashamed of himself, and the mayor needs to get the local Boy
Scouts or veterans' group to retire and burn the faded and shredded
old flag and get a new one. Cringe, upset? I'm livid.

Margaret Thumel

Eugene

Wolf plan is being ignored

Ranchers are crying wolf again. Ranchers and government trappers
exterminated wolves 70 years ago and their tolerance for this endangered
species is no different today. In violation of the Oregon Wolf Plan, the
Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife is not requiring ranchers to
exhaust nonlethal means of deterring wolves, or to remove livestock
carcasses from the field so they don't invite predation, before
killing wolves. Rather than enforcing their own plan and regulations,
officials are bowing to bully tactics and political pressure from
cattlemen. Under this kind of leadership, wolves don't have a
chance to recover and fulfill their ecological role in Oregon.

In response to six cows allegedly killed by wolves, nine kill
permits were issued to ranchers, and federal aerial gunners are trying
to shoot two wolves from helicopters. In spite of the fact that wolves
have not been seen near livestock and no further depredations have
occurred, the illegal kill orders have twice been extended and the kill
area increased to 70 square miles. Why is this happening when there is
no longer a problem?

Apparently ODFW feels it must exact revenge upon some wolves,
indiscriminately taking out two bodies to appease ranchers who openly
threaten to form wolf posses and declare martial law. This approach not
only fails to resolve conflicts, it perpetuates ODFW's catering to
the pressures of an outspoken minority. Wildlife agencies need to find
the courage to follow the state plan and do what Montana and Idaho have
failed to do - prioritize wildlife coexistence above politics.

Sally Mackler

Carnivore Coordinator

Predator Defense Oregon

Eugene

Use of resources must be cut

I am a junior at Thurston High School, and I have taken a course on
global science taught by Phil Dube. I started the course as a global
warming skeptic, and after the trimester I remain a skeptic. I believe
in the natural climate cycles of the Earth, but his class has opened my
eyes to our overuse of the planet's natural resources.

It is an indisputable fact that we use enormous amounts of our
irreplaceable oil that, like any other product in limited quantities,
will run out. We use oil for almost everything and that gives oil
companies an enormous amount of power.

I realize it would be impossible to take all gas-powered vehicles
off the road. People have the right to own and drive whatever they want.
The option of fully electric vehicles should be more publicly available.

I have learned a lot in this class, and the public needs to be
aware of our overuse. We, as Americans, are the guiltiest of overusing
products, and I believe this is because of lack of awareness.

A lot could be done to educate the people on this subject. Whether
it's articles of information in the newspaper, television
commercials or informative documentaries, something has to be done.

KATHERINE OLSON

Springfield

Support troops overseas

During your July 4 celebration this year, I hope you will join me
in pledging support for our troops overseas. Not for our generals, not
for politicians and not for those who manipulate public opinion - but
for the actual troops themselves.

DREW FINLEY

Lakeside

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